Still on the whole love theme, there was an unexpected PDA in Parliament yesterday, when Conservative Sen. Don Plett told Fisheries and Oceans Minister Dominic Leblanc that he agrees with a proposed ban on the capture and use of whales for public amusement. Of course, there was a “but” in there — more than one — but the main opponent to “freeing Willy” might just be finding life a little lonely arguing for the likes of Marineland and the Vancouver Aquarium, where costs are rising and support for whale and dolphin shows is dwindling.

There’s no love between Patrick Brown and his accusers. As Brown has steadfastly maintained his innocence, CTV went back to at least two of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct and they are sticking by their allegations. One said: “I stand absolutely by the truth of what I said to CTV … There is nothing in what Patrick Brown alleges that undermines the core truth of what I have experienced with him … The comments made about me on social media were demeaning, victim-blaming and misogynistic. My privacy was invaded, my character was assassinated, and I was subjected to gratuitous slurs about my private life and relationships.”

The second woman said: “Having read the statements made by Patrick Brown to Postmedia and in his Facebook post over the weekend, I continue to stand by the detailed account of these events that I have previously provided to CTV.”

The comment came after Public Security Minister Ralph Goodale conjured his best Herb Gray-like bafflegab to “answer” a series of questions about the makeup of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission reviewing the RCMP’s investigation. “The CRCC is a relatively small group but when they’re examining issues they have the capacity to reach outside for external expertise as they may require it,” he said.

It’s Caucus Day in Ottawa, the last before the pre-budget break week, so MPs can expect some marching orders;

PM Justin Trudeau will be at caucus today and will stand in the House for Question Period before delivering a speech on the recognition and implementation of Indigenous rights;

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is still in Brussels for NATO meetings;

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is in Washington to put out a few fires on the NAFTA front;

Auditor General Michael Ferguson is in Whitehorse for a rare Standing Committee on Public Accounts roadshow to discuss his office’s report on climate change in Yukon;

In Edmonton, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley will preside over the first meeting of her Market Access Task Force, convened in response to B.C.’s blocking of further development of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline;

The Senate human rights committee holds a special meeting focusing on Black people in federal prisons;

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor testifies at the Health committee in deliberations over Bill S-5, which aims to change the Tobacco Act and the Non-smokers’ Health Act;

Sen. Murray Sinclair, former chair, and Marie Wilson, former commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, will appear together this evening at Senate Aboriginal committee on the new relationship between Canada and First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples;

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne starts her day with a photo op in Toronto and then heads to Queen’s University for a townhall discussion with students.

Uh-oh. Things aren’t looking good for Bibi. Israeli police concluded a year-long graft investigation yesterday, recommending that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust. The PM is said to have pocketed $300,000 worth of gifts over the past 10 years.

Here’s a likely story: U.S. President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, dipped into his own bank account to hand over $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, the porn star who allegedly had an affair with the president a decade before his arrival in the White House. This plot twist — Cohen previously denied any payout had taken place — includes denial that the Trump Organisation or Trump campaign were ever involved in the payout. Nothing to see here, either.